Rikku
by Letselina
Summary: A series of 100 one shots written all about Rikku. [6: Fire]
1. Beginnings

_A/N: This is the start of my Rikku challenge at the fanfic100 community on LiveJournal. There are 95 prompts that I have to write a fan fiction for. There are five "writer's choice" prompts as well. Over the next few months I will put out 100 one shots about Rikku._

_The prompt for this story is Beginnings. Enjoy, and review when you're done reading!

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**The Beginning**

It was one of those cloudy, rainy days where all you want to do is stay inside, and curl up beside the fire in your pajamas. Of course, there was hardly a time when we were allowed to do that.

"Rikku! _Kad uh talg! Huf!_" _Get on deck! Now!_

I rolled my eyes, muttering to myself something about annoying, bossy brothers. "_Zicd y sehida!_" _Just a minute!_ I shouted, pulling a pair of goggles over my head. I made sure I had my gear ready, and stretched my arms out. It was going to be another long day of salvaging.

I exited my room on the ship, and walked to the deck. The air was thick with fog. I could feel the cool mist against my cheeks, and shivered slightly.

"Don't let Brother see you shiver like that," someone chuckled behind me. I turned, greeted by Ysa. She was one of the few Al Bhed, like me, who could speak the main Spiran language.

"He'll just tell me to stop acting like such a baby and embrace the cold," I laughed along with her.

"Rikku!" Speak of the devil. "_Kad du fung!_" _Get to work!_  
I smiled at Ysa again, shaking my head as I muttered, "_Oayr oayr_." _Yeah, yeah._ I pulled my goggles over my eyes, hiding the laughter.

We stopped the boat outside an underwater cavern. I was putting on a harness that I'd use for diving when I heard a loud cry. I looked over at Brother, who shrugged.

"_Ed'c bnupypmo zicd y _fiend," _It's probably just a fiend. _Brother said nonchalantly.

Ysa shook her head, "Rikku, take a team and figure out what it is. We don't want any trouble."

"Right!" I punched a fist into the air. Ysa knew I was _dying_ to get off the ship.

"_Fryd, Fryd?_" _What? What? _Brother shouted, confused.

I laughed, hand-picking a few decent fighters, and we lowered ourselves onto a rocky edge. We walked to an entrance, now blocked off by fallen rock and debris. "_Tufh!_"_ Down! _I shouted in warning, tossing a grenade at the blockade. It exploded, and we swiftly filed inside the abandoned temple.

A blonde male was fighting a group of fiends, and was losing. Always eager to help, I jumped in the battle, assisting as I could.

"You on my side? Cool!" he said breathlessly, swinging his sword down on the fiend.

The battle didn't take much longer. We finished off the fiends, and sighed in victory.

Taking off my goggles, I squinted to get a better view of the boy. The _cute_ boy.

"Whew! That was close!" he said, catching his breath. He definitely spoke the Spiran language well.

Before I could reply, the three Al Bhed on my team ambushed him.

"Hey! Let me go!" he cried.

"_Fryd ec drec?_" _What is this? _one of them demanded.

"_Y _fiend_! Eh risyh teckieca! Oac! Ed ec cu!_" _A fiend! In human _

_disguise! Yes! It is so!_

"_Fa gemm ed?_" _We kill it? _the last one held a blade against his throat.

My eyes widened with fear. "_Fyed!_" _Wait! _I cried, "_Fryd ev ed ec risyh?_" _What if it is human?_ After all, I was _pretty sure_ this guy wasn't a fiend.

"_Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr._" _They are the same in death._ Still bent on killing the guy.

"_E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic._" _I forbid it! We bring it with us._

I suppose this is where it all began. Our journey, our friendship (well, maybe that doesn't begin _here_), and everything that would take place in the next few years…

I got close to the male, and whispered, "_Cunno_," in his ear as an apology. Swiftly, I punched him in the gut, an easy way to knock anyone unconscious.

I signaled to the others to grab the new guy, and led the way to the ship. Now I'd have to speak with my father, and _try_ to convince him that the guy wasn't a fiend and he could be useful. After all, he was just another Al Bhed in trouble. My dad had a liking for helping our own people.

We got on the ship quickly, and with a few strange looks from the others, I ordered a couple to guard the unconscious guy. With another glance back at him, I walked inside the cabin.

"Rikku!"

"_Vydran!_" I put on the biggest smile I could, walking up to my father.

He was a tall man, with a bald head decorated with a flaming tattoo. He was the proud leader of the Al Bhed, and I adored him, even if sometimes he drove me absolutely crazy. "What's this I hear about you picking up someone?"

I sighed. News traveled fast on the boat. "He was in trouble, Pops. I had to help him--"

"When have they ever helped us Rikku? Hmm?" he yelled.

I twisted my hands behind my back, my temper rising. "Not all Spirans are bad, _Vydran_!" But before he could reply, I continued, "Besides, he's Al Bhed too."

My father stopped for a moment, sighing in defeat. "Fine. He can stay if he works. But we're dropping him off at Home next chance we get."

"_Dryhg oui!_" _Thank you! _I jumped up, thanking my father. I smiled, heading back to the deck.

"_Oui'na milgo oui lyh gaab res._" _You're lucky you can keep him._ Brother had joined my side. Yes. His name is Brother, and he is my brother. Seems silly, doesn't it?

"Keep him?" I raised an eyebrow, "He's not a pet!"

Brother angrily crossed his arms over his chest. He couldn't speak Spiran like my father, Ysa, and I could, and I knew it made him terribly upset when I spoke it. The door opened and I was greeted by the sight of the boy being held captive by the guards at gunpoint. "Ugh," I groaned.

"_Caynlr res!_" _Search him! _Brother ordered.

I gritted my teeth together, angry that Brother was in control.

"Right. Whatever," the captive shrugged. I was now sure he didn't speak Al Bhed, otherwise he probably would've started.  
"_Tu oui hud cbayg?_" _Do you not speak?_ Brother asked, bewildered.  
'_Of course not, stupid,'_ I thought in my head.

Brother motioned to a pair of goggles, and made a diving motion.

"I said I don't understand!" the captive said, frustrated.

"_Ehcumahla!_" _Insolence! _one of the guards shouted, readying to hit him.

"_Fyed!_"_ Wait! _I cried once again. Geez, sometimes I forget how violent my people can be to outsiders. "He said you can stay if you make yourself useful," I muttered to him.

"You-you understand me?" his eyes opened wide in surprise. That caused him to receive a hit from one of the guards. "All right, I'll work!" he shouted, wincing.

I stretched my arms, and prepared for the dive. The boy came up to me, looking around cautiously. He obviously was confused, so I tried to explain the situation. "We found some ancient ruins right beneath us. It's not active now, but there should be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it and then we should be able to salvage the big prize!"

After a few more preparations, we were ready. "Okay! Let's get to work!"

I won't bore you with the details of the salvage, but I found out the guy was pretty reliable in a battle, and would be useful to have around. He certainly had a knack for underwater work.

After getting back on the ship, we (rather, I) told the others that we had found the ancient airship we'd been searching for, and we'd be able to work it.

Puzzled by the problem of dragging it out of the water, and excited by the find, I hurried inside to tell my Pops the great news, sort of… forgetting about the new guy.

"Guess what Pops!" I shouted happily. In a mix of Al Bhed and Spiran, I blurted out the find, surprised he understood.

"What about your friend?" he reminded.

"Oopsies…" I bit my lower lip, and excused myself from the meeting. They'd need my help later, but for now they could try to use Brother's "awesome skills" to figure out how to bring the ship up.

I salvaged the fridge for some food (well, it mostly looked edible), and brought it out the deck. There I saw him, moaning about being hungry. Nudging him with my foot, I caught his attention and presented his meal. Surprisingly enough, he was happy to eat whatever I gave him, and with a "Right on!" he began to scarf down his meal.

I couldn't help but laugh moments later, when his food was gone. He was choking on the last bit of meat-surprise. I tossed him a canteen, and he thirstily downed the water.

"It's 'cause you eat too fast," I told him, kneeling on the ground.

With a sigh of relief, he jumped up, stretching his body.

"Hey!" I cried. The ungrateful little bugger started walking away from me.

He faced me, a big grin on his face. "Hello there. What is your name?"

"Rikku," I smiled.

And that's how it began. He soon introduced himself to me as Tidus of Zanarkand. Well, I quickly set him straight about Sin, his toxin, and the destruction of Zanarkand. He, uh, seemed a bit upset… He kept talking about this whole world of Zanarkand. I didn't want to believe him, but I can't say it wasn't true… I'd never been to Zanarkand… Still, it was too weird. How could someone affected by Sin's toxin come up with such a story?

Anyway, after promising to take him to Luca, I went back inside to ask yet another favor of my Pops.

Well, I had barely entered the cabin when I heard the sickening call…

"SIN!"

I ran to the deck, nearly screaming as I watched a wave crash upon Tidus, sweeping him underwater. "No!" I cried, running to the edge of the boat. I reached my hand toward him, watching his body in the current.

The last I saw of him was his gorgeous blonde hair…

And those beautiful _blue_ eyes. Blue… not green like any other Al Bhed…  
"Rikku!" a few Al Bhed grabbed me by the arms, dragging me back inside the ship. Away from danger, away from Sin, and away from those eyes.

That was the beginning. Weeks later, when I met up with Tidus on that sandy shore, I knew we had been destined to meet. We had a purpose, a journey.

And it was only the beginning.


	2. Too Much

_A/N: This is the second of my Rikku challenge at the fanfic100 community on LiveJournal. There are 95 prompts that I have to write a fan fiction for. There are five "writer's choice" prompts as well. Over the next few months I will put out 100 one shots about Rikku._

_The prompt for this story is Too Much. Enjoy, and review when you're done reading!  
_

_Also, thanks to **Daniel Wesley Rydell **and **Luv2Game **who are the only two who reviewed out of many more who looked at this page.

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**Too Much for One Girl to Handle  
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"The people and the friends that we have lost, or the dreams that have faded... Never forget them."

Yuna is stronger than anyone I have ever met. That's why I have always been so proud of her. And I think that's why my heart sank when she turned around.

The crowd was going absolutely wild. Sin was gone, forever, and Yuna had just finished the most incredible speech ever.

But when she turned around, I sighed inwardly. She smiled, but the glistening tears trailing down her cheeks were hard to miss.

"Great job, yah?" "Good" and "We're proud of you, Yuna" seemed to escape the others mouths quicker than I could think. Lulu wiped a tear from Yuna's cheek, and nodded.

"Thank you," Yuna spoke, her voice wavering slightly.

I didn't know what to say, so I just hugged her. My eyes struggled against tears as I whispered, "You did good."

Yuna hugged me back, probably giving me more support than I was giving her. "It's okay," she said softly.

I pulled away, rubbing my eyes quickly.

"Come on, Rikku. Put on a smile. It's a happy day," Wakka grabbed my arm, leading the way off the balcony.

I did as told, and smiled as we walked down the stairs, waving to the gathering of people. He was right: it _was_ a happy day. Everyone was smiling, including even Yuna and me. Happiness is _definitely_ contagious.

"Rikku!"

I spotted my father in the crowd, and helped lead my friends toward him. We had planned that after Yuna's speech, we'd fly to Besaid and spend time with everyone there. I agreed to stay for a while until things settled a bit.

Pops led us to the ship, hardly saying a word. Yuna gave one last wave to the cheering crowd as she turned her back and boarded the ship. We all climbed onto the bridge, still smiling.

"No Sin." Wakka leaned against a wall, staring in amazement. I think he was still quite astonished at the idea. I know I was.

"Rikku," my father spoke again. He beckoned me toward him, a slight frown on his face.

"What's up Pops?" I asked casually. I wondered what had troubled him. He was being awfully quiet.

He exhaled, and seemed unable to explain what he wanted. "Zicd ku du dra talg."

_Just go to the deck_.

I raised a puzzled eyebrow. Not only was he speaking Al Bhed in front of Yuna and the others, he was being extremely vague.

"What for?"

"Just go."

I decided not to argue. My smile had faded, and I was becoming worried. I started for the door, my mind coming up with ideas for why he'd want me up there. By the time I had waved to Rin, a few other Al Bhed, and reached the elevator, I still hadn't come up with anything good.

So I stepped on the elevator, and landed on the deck.

Standing near the edge was a tall, blonde man. His arms were crossed over his chest as he looked over the watery horizon of Luca.

"Gippal!" I cried, recognizing the back of the figure. I ran to him quickly, throwing my arms around his waist in a tackle-like hug. My smile had returned.

Gippal could be described as the first (and so far, only true) love interest I ever had. We dated a lot (which now explained my father's troublesome behavior) before my journey with Yuna and the others. We went our separate ways when he signed up for some Crusader-like group that allowed Al Bhed to join.

I had been heart broken for a few months. I feared Gippal would die in battle, but I was still secretly glad he was trying to find a way to help save the suicidal summoners. We wrote back and forth for a while, but it became hard to send and receive letters once I had begun salvaging with my father and Brother.

"E'ja seccat oui cu silr!" _I've missed you so much! _I laughed, still hugging.

"I've missed you too," he said softly.

I gasped, "You speak Spiran?"

He nodded, turning around. Gippal still appeared the same: spiky blonde hair, black eye patch over his bad eye, rich toned skin, muscular build... Geez, he was still as gorgeous as ever.

"Baralai taught me how."

"Baralai?" I repeated.

Gippal nodded. "He is - was - a young Yevon priest."

"Yevon?" Maybe he didn't know how the Guado and Yevon people had... destroyed Home.

"Yeah, he was all right."

"Well, if you say so," I felt slightly unconvinced, but brushed it away. I smiled brighter, "So what brings you to these parts?"

"Came to see you," Gippal grinned weakly. "I guess tinkering around with machina wasn't enough for you. Had to go and save the world, huh."

I giggled, taking his hands in my own. "I had a lot of fun and we saved Yunie."

"I'm glad."

"But," I sighed, "It wasn't enough for you either."

Gippal shrugged. He was being rather quiet. Brother always told me how loud and arrogant Gippal was before I got to know him. And once I got to know him, I had to agree. This _wasn't_ the Gippal I remembered. He was too calm.

"So, tell me about the Crimson Squad!" I ordered, trying to change the mood. "I'm sorry I couldn't get anymore of your letters."

"It's okay. I stopped writing."

I frowned, "Why?"

"Something came up."

"Like?"

Silence. I repeated myself, thinking he hadn't heard me. "Like what?"

"It doesn't matter."

Well at least he was still being stubborn.

"Then why did you say anything?" I said, frustrated.

"Rikku, I..." he trailed off. He took my hands into his, and pulled me closer. "I know that I promised when I came back I'd always be with you..."

"Who is she?" I interrupted. Tears burned in my eyes.

"No! It's nothing like that," Gippal said firmly, now placing his hands on my shoulders. "Please, you have to understand."

I looked up into his eyes (eye...), trying to stop the tears that were now falling. Random theories popped into my head of other girls and reasons he could be leaving again. I looked down at my feet, watching teardrops sprinkle my shoes.

"I can't explain how... how much I care for you Rikku. You're the most important girl to me in the world," Gippal said quietly. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, and lifted my head. "I have to do something, and I don't want you to get hurt. It could be dangerous."

"I can handle danger!" My voice cracked. "I beat Sin for crying out loud!"

Gippal nodded, a tired smile crossing his face. "You must be the bravest and strongest of all the Al Bhed. But this is a different sort of danger, and I can't risk losing you."

"Are you going to be okay?" I whispered.

He nodded, pressing his forehead against mine. "Will you?"

I moved my eyes back to my shoes, and didn't speak. I was still crying silent tears. In the back of my mind, I noted he still smelled like fuel from the machina he worked with.

"C'mon, Cid's Girl."

I didn't move. He used to irritate me to the high heavens calling me "Cid's Girl" when we were younger. It was probably his best way of showing his feelings. It wasn't going to work anymore.

"I have a name you know." I freed myself from his arms and took a few steps back.

"Rikku?"

My back was turned to the ship, but I knew it was Yuna calling my name.

Her voice was tender. "Are you okay? Cid asked me to come check on you..."

"Y-yeah. I'm all right."

"Okay. I'll, uh, just go back--"

"Wait!" I called, facing her. "I was just saying goodbye," I faced Gippal, "to an old friend."

Gippal sighed, hanging his head. "Goodbye Rikku."

My voice quivered now, and it was hard to speak. "D-don't be like th-that." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, burying my face into his shoulder. "I'll be waiting for you."

"Keep in touch," he whispered back. "I love you, _Cid's girl._"

I did some sort of snort-giggle-sob-hiccup and pulled away, quickly wiping my tears. I punched him in the arm. "Goodbye Gippal."

"Goodbye Rikku."

I turned my back on his, more tears streaming down my face. Yuna showed worry on her face, but I knew I couldn't speak. Not yet. I grabbed her arm and we hurried to the sleeping area so not to be questioned by the others.

When I had been seated on a bed, I let out a long wail. And I cried harder than I had ever cried before.

Yuna cried with me as we both tried to comfort each other.

Losing Tidus, defeating Sin, and now losing Gippal within a few days was just too much for one girl like me too handle.

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_A/N: Review or no more stories for you :P_


	3. Rain

_A/N: This is third of my Rikku challenge at the fanfic100 community on LiveJournal.  
__This short piece is an episode of a relationship between Gippal and Rikku after the events of Final Fantasy X-2.  
__The prompt for this story is Rain. Enjoy, and review when you're done reading!  
__Again, thank you to my reviewers; I'm glad you enjoy this._

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**Summer Rain**

His arms were draped gently around her hips as they swayed back and forth to the soft ballad. His chin rest on her shoulder while he gazed out across the dark horizon.

"It's going to rain."

She nodded, humming quietly to the song. "Maybe we should go inside."

"Nah."

She put her dainty hands on top of his, gently tracing his fingers with her own. They were rough, but not too dry. She sighed happily, soaking in the warmth of the summery evening. Her eyes closed, and she tilted her head against his.

"It's nice out here, just the two of us."

"Mmmhmm." She opened her eyes again, watching the dark clouds continue their journey east.

"Rikku?"

"Gippal?"

He played with her belt loops, chuckling quietly. "Do you think your cousin is looking for us?"

She gave one short laugh. Her cousin, Yuna, was the savior of the world, twice. She had also been recently reunited with her long lost love. She knew she was the last thing on her cousin's mind.

"Didn't think so."

The music changed to a fast upbeat song. The couple had been at a local club with Yuna and Tidus. They'd gotten warm, and stepped outside for a few minutes. Minutes had turned into at least an hour, she noted silently, as it was finally beginning to sprinkle.

It was soft at first. Occasional pea-sized drops would fall on the sidewalk or her skin. A warm summer rain, she thought, sinking deeper into his arms.

"You okay?"

She had a fear of storms, especially lightning. Well, she used to anyway. A few nights out on the Thunder Plains had helped cure it, but she couldn't help but flinch once in a while.

"Yeah. It's just a little rain."

He pulled her a little closer, gently tickling her stomach with his fingers.

"We're going to get wet."

She grinned. The rain was falling a little faster and a little harder as each minute passed.

"That's the idea behind rain, isn't it?"

She took his hands in hers, and led him across the street to a grassy playground. The rain was now coming down at a steady pace. Her blonde hair was already quite wet, and fell uselessly around her shoulders. She giggled, looking up at her date. His blonde hair was falling into his eyes, impairing his vision.

She danced in a circle, swinging her arms to the beat of the shower. He laughed at her, but took her arms and joined her rainy dance. They both laughed, pulling each other closer with each movement.

She sang a silly melody: half song, half laughter. He tackled her to the ground, the sopping grass sticking to their skin as they rolled around like little kids. Nothing mattered: they just played in the rain, laughing as if they were the only ones in the world. The rain continued, pitter-pattering on the playground equipment.

They chased each other, running (and slipping) through the field. Finally she gave up, flopping onto the grass. Breathlessly, she closed her eyes. Raindrops trickled down her face. She felt him collapsed beside her, and she smiled.

The rain felt cool on her warm skin. She rolled over on her side, watching him catch his breath.

He opened an eye, gazing at her. She blushed, marveled at how they were always brought closer by simple things like rain.

Then he laughed.

"What?"

He turned on his side, reaching over with his hand. He pulled a large leaf from her hair.

"You look ridiculous."

She growled, partially in aggravation, largely in mirth.

He kissed her, softly but quickly, on the lips, causing her jaw to drop in surprise.

"You look so cute when you're angry."

She rolled her eyes, her lips forming an unintentional smile.

"Hey lovebirds!"

They sat up hurriedly, spotting the speaker. Her cousin (as well as Tidus) stood in the rain, giggling at the couple in the grass.

"We were about to leave without you!"

Smiling, he stood up, lending his hand to her. She took it, scrunching her nose in fake displeasure.

The sky was becoming dark with night, and the air was cooling. Arm in arm, the couple walked toward the others, laughing about their absurd appearances.


	4. Death

_A/N: Here's another piece. In Final Fantasy X, I always imagined how painful the destruction and attack on Home must have been for Rikku. She tells the group at one point that "Yevon did something really bad to us before". This is just an idea I had of what it could have been._

_The prompt for this story is Death. Enjoy, and review when you're done reading!_

_Again, thank you to my reviewers; I'm glad you enjoy this. I hope everyone who takes the time to load this page will leave me a little note._

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**Scream**

I screamed. Tears filled my eyes and I closed them quickly, wishing I hadn't seen what was before me.

A dark memory popped in my mind. I was little then - four or five years old. I had woken up to a bloodcurdling scream. Frightened, I jumped under the colorful covers. I heard voices, some I didn't recognize.

A shiver shot down my spine as I looked over the sheet. A bright orange-red light was coming through the window above my bed. I stood up on my pillow, poking my head over the windowsill. I gave a short cry. The light was coming from many of the homes on our road. _They were burning._

"You will die in the name of Yevon!"

I jumped off my bed, and climbed under it. I started to cry. I was terrified. I didn't understand the Spiran language, and the deep voice that was screaming reminded me of thunder.

"Like hell I will!"

That had been my father. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew my dad was mad.

My door burst open, and I shimmied back farther under my bed. I attempted to stifle my sobs, but I was failing.

"Rikku!"

"Sudran!" I wailed, now crawling out to my mother.

There was a bright light and another scream.

My mother crumpled to the ground in front of my eyes. I was still under the bed, but I screamed. Her back was scorched by fire, but her assailant had already run from the room, perhaps assuming there was no one left.

She lifted her head. "Rikku." Her voice was a soft whisper.

"Sudran..." I sobbed, tears falling down my face. I crawled out, inching nearer to her.

"Mecdah du sa. Oui sicd kad uid uv rana. Oui yht ouin vydran yht ouin pnudran sicd kad uid uv rana." _Listen to me. You must get out of here. You and your father and your brother must get out of here._

"Sudran," I wailed again.

"Go! Ky!" she yelled at me.

I cried. It was no longer a soft, frightened cry, but a loud child's cry.

Suddenly I was lifted up by someone, and rushed out of our home. My vision was too blurred by tears to tell where we were headed. I knew there was a group of people with me now, because there was a lot of yelling, mostly in Al Bhed.

I don't recall much more. Hours later when I was reunited with my father and brother, I was told my mother had been killed by a powerful fire spell.

Yevonites had attacked, with little reason, the large area in Luca in which at least a hundred Al Bhed lived.

They had burned the entire section of the city to the ground.

Over half of our friends, family, and loved ones had been slain.

"Rikku!"

Tidus' call awoke me from my short daze.

I was standing on the top of a hill, watching my home in Bikanel being burned and attacked again.


	5. Shatter

_A/N: For anyone who plans on flaming me for this slight Tikku one-shot, please reconsider. I'm trying to write Rikku fics to please everyone. I support Yuna and Tidus, and Gippal and Rikku, but I like Tikku fics so don't bother to give me a "you suck" review because you don't like this._

_The prompt for this story is shattered. Enjoy, and review when you're done reading!

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**Shatter**

My heart is racing. I know I shouldn't be here, hiding in the foliage.

But I am.

He apologizes to her, hoping he didn't make her sad.

I followed him here, you know. I thought maybe he was just going for a walk, and I could be by his side. I missed what Auron said about her.

"I wasn't sad," she says, "I was happy."

I sigh, silently. She loves him, I know. She tells me often, and I listen.

"Wouldn't everyone be surprised?" her voice reaches my ears. I zoom back in on their conversation and continue my eavesdropping.

"Yeah. Except Rikku." My heart flutters when he says my name. "She'd be with you. Lulu and Wakka wouldn't hold out long." His voice is a sweet symphony to my ears, carrying my spirit high, though I lie low.

"What'll I do if I give up my pilgrimage?" she wonders.

If I were she, I'd just stay with him. It'd be heaven enough just to be in his arms.

He speaks of his Zanarkand, and I smile, watching his blonde hair in the moonlight. I wish I were there beside him to see how his cerulean eyes light up when he talks of his home.

"Let's go to the sea, before the sunrise. The city lights go out one by one. The stars fade... It's kinda rose colored, right? First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then to the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows. It's really...pretty. I know you'd like it."

His voice paints a picture for me, and I close my eyes for a moment. I see myself my back to the machina metropolis, my face to the sea. My hand would be in his, and he'd whisper to me something that would make bumps stand on my skin. We'd watch in silence, and the sun would rise, the majestic magic and beauty of it all too much to take in.

"Yu..?"

The sudden fear in his voice forces me from my fantasy and I open my eyes again.

She is crying.

I wonder how she could cry while in his presence.

He is the one who makes me smile.

He makes my heart soar on silver wings.

As clichéd as it might be, he takes my breath away.

"Yuna."

He says her name. Not mine.

He leans in closer, and I fear that he might hear my heart beating so rapidly.

He kisses her, and my eyes close.

_And I shatter._


	6. Fire

**Campfire Chats**

"'_Don't say that 'cause we're gonna see each other again._'" I laugh quietly at myself. "I haven't seen him in almost a year."

"Do you miss him?"

I nod and stare tiredly into the fire. "Every day."

Tidus puts his hand on my shoulder, trying to console me.

"I've never told anyone outside my home about Gippal..." I whisper.

I haven't been with Yunie and her guardians very long: only a week or two at most. Tidus and I picked up where we'd left off months ago when we first met, and became fast friends. We talk and laugh a lot as we travel, and I love being with him. He makes me smile.

We are camped out under the stars. It's a beautiful night with bright shiny stars and everything. You know, one of those nights where you stare out into space and you have to wonder what else is out there.

Well, everyone had fallen asleep fast. Everybody but me. I was restless, and my mind was wandering. I thought about a lot of things: my family, my Home, and a young man named Gippal.

The thought of Gippal made my eyes water, so I climbed from the sleeping area back to the dying campfire.

I cried. I guess it was a little louder than I had thought, because Tidus got up and comforted me, and that how we got here.

"So why did you tell me?"

I turn and look at Tidus. He has these amazingly bright blue eyes that remind me of the ocean. They're sort of calming.

"I don't know." It's the truth. I really haven't known Tidus that long, but I keep spilling out my guts to him.

Tidus smiles, and shakes his head gently at me. His blonde locks fall into his face, hiding the laughter now in his eyes.

"What?" I smile, too. I think it's contagious. "What's so funny?"

"I had a friend, just like you, back in my Zanarkand." Now he stares back into the fire, the flames reflecting in his ocean-eyes.

"Yeah?" I've talked to Yuna. She tells me that she's ninety-nine point nine percent sure that Tidus' Zanarkand exists. She never tells me how or why, but I believe her. "What was she like?"

"She was short and blonde, like you. Her eyes were even green. I don't think she was Al Bhed though. There really weren't any in Zanarkand."

"So she looked like me?"

"Acted like you too." Tidus smiles again, and stretches his arms up to the stars. "She was a little bit crazy--"

"Hey!" I punch him in the arm, still smiling.

"--and she was really fun. Always smiling." He nudges me with his elbow.

I laugh a bit, and then yawn. We talk some more about his Zanarkand, Gippal, and our journey.

Fast-forward a few weeks. Home has just been destroyed; and Tidus found out about Yunie's destiny - her death.

It isn't night, and there is no warm campfire this time. Just cold loneliness. I have been hiding in the cabin; hiding my tears.

"Hey."

I don't really want to talk to anyone. "Hey." I reply anyway.

"Are you okay?" Tidus sits down on the bed beside me.

"Just dandy."

"I'm sorry about Home."

"Me too."

There's an uncomfortable silence between us and he sighs. I sniffle a little, and wipe away a stray tear.

"I'm sorry," I apologize suddenly.

"About what?"

"Not telling you about Yunie. It was wrong. You deserved to know."

"No, it's okay. It was too hard to say."

"Still..."

Tidus sets his hand on my shoulder. "It's okay."

I look up for the first time to see his face. His eyes are red and his face is tired. It's been a long day. It's going to get longer.

I bite my lower lip to stop it from quivering, but the rest of my face twists in pain. I start crying again.

He gently puts his arms around my shoulders, embracing me tightly.

I rest my face on his shoulder, trying to stop the inevitable. I heave a heavy sob and cry into his arm. I feel a little bit comforted.

"Remember the girl from Zanarkand I was telling you about?"

I nod slowly in his arms, afraid to open my mouth.

"We used to get in all sorts of trouble. Once, after a game, we went to this restaurant..."

I keep listening, calmed by his voice and his attempt to cheer me with his silly story. I laugh as he tells how he and his friend made mischief in the ancient metropolis.

"Feel better?" he asks after I stop laughing.

I pull myself up, out of his arms, and smile. "Thanks."

We continue our day, search for Yuna and such. I still feel a slight pain in my heart, but I can smile, thanks to him.


End file.
